Carousel sign

ABSTRACT

A system for displaying a plurality of messages comprising a rotatable sign supporting member for mounting a plurality of signs. The supporting member is capable of rotation about a vertical shaft and may be raised for viewing or lowered to ground level for facilitating the change of messages.

United States Patent 72} Inventor Edward L. Murphy 2500 Farrier Place, Owensboro, Ky. 42301 [21] Appl. No. 833,623

[22] Filed June 16, 1969 [45] Patented May 25, 1971 [54] CAROUSEL SIGN Claims, 12 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl /33, 40/68, 40/125, 40/145 [51] Int. Cl G09f11/10 Field of Search 40/68, 33, (H), 125 (K),

[56} References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,201,073 8/1965 Buescher et a1. 40/1251-1 3,318,279 5/1967 Padilla 40/125H 859,233 7/1907 Lane 52/111 Demuth Blandford McConaughy Bishop Harlan et a1.

Hutchens Primary ExaminerRobert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-L. R. Oremland Attorney-Stevens, Davis, Miller and Mosher ABSTRACT: A system for displaying a plurality of messages comprising a rotatable sign supporting member for mounting a plurality of signs. The supporting member is capable of rotation about a vertical shaft and may be raised for viewing or lowered to ground level for facilitating the change of messages.

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INVENTOR fan/mew [.Mwmvr BY Mmflwmmmh ATTORNEYS I CAROUSEL SIGN BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The changeable letter sign is rapidly increasing in popularity. This increase in popularity owes to the versatility-of the sign, the speed with which the message thereon may be changed and the relatively small cost therefor after the initial expenditure has been made.

In most of the changeable letter signs known to the prior art, the signs are fixedly or rotatably installed at a preset height above the ground. In order, then, to change the message, a ladder or a long pole with a special clamp at'the end thereof must be employed. Such letter changing techniques tend to be awkward, slow and hazardous.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION readily changed. The mount of the present invention is adapted for supporting numerous changeable letter signs. In this manner, a plurality of messages may be simultaneously displayed. Further, the mount of the present invention is adapted to be rotated. Therefore, all messages supported by the mount may be viewed from a fixed location. The rotatable feature also serves to attract attention. The mount associated with the present invention is adapted to be raised and lowered at will. Therefore, the messages on the signs may be rapidly changed without endangering the safety of personnel charged with the duty of changing messages.

It is therefore the main object of the invention to provide an economical system for displaying messages, which system attracts the attention of viewers, and which is safe to use, versatile in operation and readily adaptable to changing messages.

This and other objects of the invention, as well as many of the attendant advantages thereof, will become more readily apparent when reference is made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is, in its broadest terms, an illustration of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the collar and supporting framework of the device shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the sign mechanism of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an elevation of the frame-engaging mechanism of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 3; and

FIGS. 9 through 12 are plan views of support frameworks .adapted for use with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION With particular reference, first, to FIG. I, there is shown a support system for changeable letter signs. This system is adapted to support at least one changeable letter sign in such a manner that the mount for the signs may be lowered to ground level for facilitating the change of the message displayed on the sign.

A sign mount 10, on which a sign 12 is supported, is rigidly connected to a pole 14. The pole 14 is slideably mounted within a hollow vertical support member 16 which is rigidly secured in place by means of a concrete base 18. Positioned at the upper region of the vertical member 16, and rigidly secured thereto, is a sheave indicated generally at 20. Also mounted on the vertical member 16 is a ratchet winch indicated generally at 22. A cable 24 is attached, at 26, to the lower end of the pole l4 and extends from the position 26 over the sheave 20 and onto the spool of the winch assembly 22'. By operating the winch 22, the frame 10, with its associated sign 12, may be readily brought to ground level, as indicated in phantom in FIG. 1. Thus, the changing of letters on the sign is facilitated. The frame may then be raised to viewing level, as indicated in solid lines in FIG. 1.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 2 through 8, and particular arrangements of the sign supporting members are illustrated in FIGS. 9 through 12.

With particular reference, now, to FIG. 2, the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention will be described. The sign supporting frame member is shown generally at 28 and serves to support at least one sign 30 thereon. The frame 28 is rigidly secured (as seen in FIG. 5) to a rotating sleeve 32 on which are secured, as by welding, a pair of transfer hooks 34 (See FIG. 3). In contact with the lowermost portion of the rotating sleeve 32 is a lowering plate 36. As will be explained below, the sleeve 32 is rotatable with respect to the plate 36. A plurality of supporting angles '38 are associated'with both the sleeve 32 and the plate 36. For reasons which will become evident from the following, the angles 38 may be rigidly secured to either the rotating sleeve 32 or the lowering plate 36, but not both.

The sign support member 28 is mounted on a vertical structural member 40, preferably a steel tube which, in cross section, is square. The rotating sleeve 32, associated with the member 28, is inserted over the vertical structural member 40. The lowering plate 36 has a bore therein so as to conform to the cross section of the member 40. In this manner, the plate 36 is restrained against rotation with respect to the member 40. It is for this reason that the angles 38 may be connected to only one of the members 32 or 36. The bottom region of the vertical structural member 40 is encased in a concrete footing 42.

Extending within the member 40 is a vertical drive shaft 44 which is driven by means of a motor and gear reducing unit 46. The unit 46 is mounted at ground level and consists'of an electric motor and reduction gearing, and has a male output shaft serving to rotate the carousel. Located inside the structural tubing, at the same elevation as the unit 46, is a small gear box 47 containing a horizontal worm gear that meshes with a horizontal gear mounted on the lower end of the vertical drive shaft. The gearbox is rigidly fastened inside the structural tubing and contains appropriate bearings and other conventional members. The worm gear shaft contains a notched female connection and is'aligned with a predrilled hole in the side of the structural tubing. The male output of the rotating drive unit is inserted throughthe hole and into the notched female connection on the worm gear shaft.

The uppermost region of the drive shaft 44 has rigidly secured thereto a thrust collar 48 having rigidly positioned therethrough a torque transfer bar 50, which, in combination with the transfer hooks 34, effects the rotation of the sign assembly. Rigidly secured to the vertical support member 40 is a gear-driven ratchet winch shown generally at 52. The winch serves to effect the raising and lowering of the support member 28 for facilitating the changing of messages on the various sign members 30.

With particular reference, now, to FIG. 3, the manner in which the winch 52 raises and lowers the frame 28 will be described. A steel cable 54, one end of which is wound around the spool of the winch, is fed through a series of pulleys and is terminated on the structural tubing 40 near the upper end thereof. The termination is effected by means of a stopmember 56 through which the cable 54 is threaded. A head 58 is secured to the end of the cable. The cable 54 is laced, beginning at the stop 56, through a sheave 59 mounted on the lowering plate 36, through sheaves 60 and 62 (FIG. 6) mounted on the structural member 40 near the top thereof, through sheave 64, mounted, like sheave 59, on the lowering plate 36, through sheave 65, and then, from sheave 65, the

cable 54 travels down through the structural tubing 40 to sheave 53 and then through the wall of the structural member 40 and to the winch 52. This winch and sheave arrangement is adapted to provide a mechanical advantage for facilitating the lowering and raising of the carousel, a mechanical advantage in addition to that provided by the geared winch alone.

As is also seen in FIG. 3, the thrust collar 48 forms an integral extension of the drive shaft 44 and the torque transfer bar 50 passes through a bore in the thrust collar. Serving to protect the moving parts of the unit against friction wear is a thrust bearing 68 which may take the form of any of numerous conventional bearing configurations. The bearing assembly 68 is supported at the upper region of the structural member 40 by means of an inwardly extending flange 70. A flange 72 integral with thrust collar 48 bears against the top of bearing 68 to maintain the vertical position of the torque transfer bar 50. As noted above, the transfer hooks 34 are fastened to the external wall of the rotatable sleeve 32 as is the frame 28. This can easily be seen in FIG. 3.

With particular reference now to FIG. 5, and with a cross reference to FIG. 2, the raising and lowering of the frame member 28 with its associated signs 30 will be explained. When the sign is in the position shown in solid lines in FIGS. 2 and 5, and it is desired to lower the sign, the rotational apparatus, including the motor 46, is deactivated. The winch 52 is then operated by spooling in the cable 54 so as to raise the frame 28. In this manner, the transfer hooks 34 are taken out of positive engagement with the torque transfer bar 50. After the frame 28 and its associated transfer hooks 34 are raised through a distance a," the cam surfaces 74 on the transfer books 34 come into contact with the torque transfer bar 50. As a result of this contact, the rotatable sleeve 32 and the entire frame member 28 rotates, this rotation being in a counterclockwise direction when looking down on the assembly.

Once the transfer hooks 34, the rotating sleeve 32 and the frame member 28 have rotated into the position shown in phantom in FIG. 5, then the winch 52 is operatedso as to lower the sign and its associated equipment to ground level. In lowering the sign, the transfer hooks 34 are free from the torque transfer bar 50 due to the above-described rotation. It will be noted that when the mounting 28 and its associated equipment are detached from the torque transfer bar 50 and thrust collar 48, the lowering plate 36 serves to support the weight of the sign machinery in its entirety.

When the sign has been lowered into the position shown in phantom in FIG. 2, and the message thereon has been changed, the winch 52 is activated so as to raise the sign to the position shown in phantom in FIG. 5. Then, the rotating machinery is activated until the torque transfer bar 50 contacts the transfer hooks 34. The winch 52 is then operated so as to lower the sign. As a result of this operation, the transfer shown in solid lines in FIG. 5.

In FIGS. 9 through 12, four arrangements are shown for the frame and sign members. More particularly, in FIG. 9, a foursided frame is shown. Thus, four signs may be rotatably mounted on the vertical support member and may display four separate messages. In FIG. 10, there is illustrated an arrangement for a two-faced sign. FIG. 11 shows an arrangement for a three-faced sign. And FIG. 12 is illustrative of an arrangement for a six-faced sign. Naturally, signs of any number of faces may be provided without departing from the teachings of this invention.

Above, there has been described a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted, however, that many alterations and modifications may be practiced by thoseskilled in the art without departing from the spirit and the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, it is the intent that this invention not be limited by the above, but only be limited as defined in the appended claims.

lclaim:

1. A system for displaying a plurality of messages at a predetermined level above the ground, the system comprising;

hollow vertical support means embedded in the ground, said support means extending upwardly at least to the predetermined level;

sleeve means encircling said vertical support means and adapted for rotation about and vertical movement along said vertical support means; sign mounting means rigidly connected to said sleeve means for displaying the plurality of messages; vertical drive shaft means positioned within said hollow vertical support means and adapted to rotate around a vertical axis; drive means for rotating said drive shaft means; torque transfer means integral with said drive shaft means for imparting the rotational motion of said drive shaft means to said sign mounting means; connector means associated with said sleeve means and said sign mounting means for detachably engaging said torque transfer means;

lowering plate means slidably mounted on said vertical support means and associated with said sleeve means and said sign mounting means for supporting said sleeve and sign mounting means when the connector means is disengaged from said torque transfer means;

and level control means for raising or lowering said lowering plate means whereby the sign mounting means may be raised or lowered for facilitating the change of messages.

2. The system as described in claim 1, wherein said hollow vertical support means is square in cross section.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein said lowering plate means has a bore therethrough whose shape conforms to the shape of the vertical support means so as to be constrained against rotation about said vertical support means.

4. The system as described in claim 3, wherein said sleeve means is rotatable with respect to said lowering plate means, and further comprising a plurality of angle members for ensuring the integrity of the sleeve means and the lowering plate means.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said connector means are shapedin such a manner that when said sleeve and sign supporting means are raised to a level higher than the predetermined level, the connector means automatically disengage from said torque transfer means.

6. The system as defined in claim 5, wherein said torque transfer means includes ahorizontal pin integral with said drive shaft means; wherein said connector means are in the form of hooks; and wherein said books have camming surfaces thereon which serve, when the sleeve and sign supporting means are raised above the predetermined level, to disengage the hooks from the pin of the torque transfer means.

7. The system as recited in claim I, wherein said drive means comprises a motor and wherein said level control means comprises a geared ratchet winch.

8. The system as described in claim 1, wherein the sign mounting means is raised and lowered by a winch having a first mechanical advantage, the winch being associated with a series of sheaves, together having a second mechanical advantage which adds to the first mechanical advantage associated with said winch.

9. The system as described in claim 1, wherein said hollow vertical support means has a square cross section and wherein said sleeve means has a circular cross section.

10. The system recited in claim 1, and further comprising bearing means for protecting the sleeve means and the vertical support means against friction; and washer means for maintaining said torque transfer means at a predetermined level. 

1. A system for displaying a plurality of messages at a predetermined level above the ground, the system comprising: hollow vertical support means embedded in the ground, said support means extending upwardly at least to the predetermined level; sleeve means encircling said vertical support means and adapted for rotation about and vertical movement along said vertical support means; sign mounting means rigidly connected to said sleeve means for displaying the plurality of messages; vertical drive shaft means positioned within said hollow vertical support means and adapted to rotate around a vertical axis; drive means for rotating said drive shaft means; torque transfer means integral with said drive shaft means for imparting the rotational motion of said drive shaft means to said sign mounting means; connector means associated with said sleeve means and said sign mounting means for detachably engaging said torque transfer means; lowering plate means slidably mounted on said vertical support means and associated with said sleeve means and said sign mounting means for supporting said sleeve and sign mounting means when the connector means is disengaged from said torque transfer means; and level control means for raising or lowering said lowering plate means whereby the sign mounting means may be raised or lowered for facilitating the change of messages.
 2. The system as described in claim 1, wherein said hollow vertical support means is square in cross section.
 3. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein said lowering plate means has a bore therethrough whose shape conforms to the shape of the vertical support means so as to be constrained against rotation about said vertical support means.
 4. The system as described in claim 3, wherein said sleeve means is rotatable with respect to said lowering plate means, and further comprising a plurality of angle members for ensuring the integrity of the sleeve means and the lowering plate means.
 5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said connector means are shaped in such a manner that when said sleeve and sign supporting means are raised to a level higher than the predetermined level, the connector means automatically disengage from said torque transfer means.
 6. The system as defined in claim 5, wherein said torque transfer means includes a horizontal pin integral with said drive shaft means; wherein sAid connector means are in the form of hooks; and wherein said hooks have camming surfaces thereon which serve, when the sleeve and sign supporting means are raised above the predetermined level, to disengage the hooks from the pin of the torque transfer means.
 7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said drive means comprises a motor and wherein said level control means comprises a geared ratchet winch.
 8. The system as described in claim 1, wherein the sign mounting means is raised and lowered by a winch having a first mechanical advantage, the winch being associated with a series of sheaves, together having a second mechanical advantage which adds to the first mechanical advantage associated with said winch.
 9. The system as described in claim 1, wherein said hollow vertical support means has a square cross section and wherein said sleeve means has a circular cross section.
 10. The system recited in claim 1, and further comprising bearing means for protecting the sleeve means and the vertical support means against friction; and washer means for maintaining said torque transfer means at a predetermined level. 